Aloha Sunset Beach!
by SeligesFraulein
Summary: Broseph's cousin Kanani, a Hawaiian surfer, comes to visit for the summer. Little did she realize that she would end up working at the Resort, and end up falling for a guy she originally thought was a stalker. Follows episodes starting from Ep. 4 (Bring your Kook to work day). Ty x OC.
1. Chapter 1

It was early morning when I started off, surfboard in hand, from Auntie's house. I had been missing the water ever since I got to Sunset beach the day before. Unfortunately, I had wasted all the prime surf time recuperating from both a long flight, and a change in time zones. This morning, I was headed to Surfers Paradise Hotel. Not only were there supposed to be better waves over there, but also my cousin was working there as a bellhop. I hadn't seen him in years. When Auntie said that he was a live-in worker down there, I almost gagged on my dinner. I just couldn't imagine Broseph like that. Although, I could see how 24-hour beach access could be a great motivator. Unfortunately, in order to get to Surfers Paradise I had to take a Whale bus that ironically made me feel just like one of the tourists I had made fun of in Waikiki. At least the driver seemed chill, he was a laid back guy named Kahuna. I smiled and introduced myself calmly before taking my seat on the bus.

As I road the short distance from the pier to the resort I couldn't help but note how funny it was going from one Sunset beach to another. The Sunset beach I knew and loved was in North Shore, Oahu. And to tell the truth I felt a little out of place among the pine forests of Sunset Beach, Canada. Even so, it was still breathtaking in its own way. It was my first time in a long time seeing a real evergreen forest, and I quickly got lost in thought while staring out into the fir trees that lined the road. I was a little unsure about leaving Oahu for the summer, although, maybe it would be good to experience something new.

By the time I arrived at the beach it was already 6:45 am. I walked around the hotel and along the beach until I was a little distance away. Dumping my tie-string bag onto the sand, I took off my white spaghetti string tank top to reveal my light blue bikini. My friends back home always said that it complemented my dark skin perfectly, but because I'm not really into all that fashion stuff, I just had to take their word for it. I liked to keep it simple, and thinking of "cute outfits" or accessories was just too much effort for someone who would just end up taking it all off to surf anyways.

I sat down on the sand, and gave my black locks a quick toss over my shoulder to get them out of my way. Despite the fact that it reached my hips, my hair never really bothered me too much, probably because I was so used of them. Besides once I got it wet it would be even less of an issue. Once I was situated in front of my board I began to wax it; first in circles, then side to side. I traced the three large orange triangles as I continued to wax the light yellow board. It was on the smaller side and looked pretty retro compared to a lot of the newer designs I had seen in the shops in town. However it used to be my dad's, so how could I not love it? I wondered how he was doing without me at home. No doubt the family was just waking up to go for a surf now. I would have to give them a call later.

Once my board was waxed to my liking, I took a moment to sit back and watch the waves. It would be stupid to just go out without at least observing what the waves were like first. After all, I hadn't surfed here in at least 6 years so I wanted to be a little extra cautious. The surf looked beautiful; the waves were perfectly sculpted and beckoning for me to ride them. It only took me a few minutes to get an idea of what the surf would be like, and then I decided it was time to test them out for real. I took off my jean short shorts in one quick motion, throwing them towards the direction of my bag. I didn't have the willpower to resist the waves any longer.

One good thing about this beach was that there wasn't nearly as much reef as there was in Hawaii, so I didn't need to paddle out as far. I saw a small wave coming at me, instinctively I pushed my board down in order to pass under it. Once I was far enough out it was time to play the waiting game until there was a good set. I glimpsed around for other people to see if there was a line up. Only three other guys were out right now, although it sounded like there were 10 of them with all the noise they were making. I was a little surprised there weren't more people out surfing. I didn't really want a huge line up, but I didn't want to be the only one that had to put up with these obnoxious guys either.

It only took a few minutes for a good set to build up. I checked to make sure the wave wasn't already claimed, glimpsing at my noisy neighbors who seemed to be taking a drink break on their boards. My excitement began to build as I began paddling for the wave. Once I knew I had gotten it, all my instincts took over. I slid back and popped up, taking a few moments to center myself. Then with nothing to hold me back, I let it all out. My muscles ached for a cutback, and I happily obliged. Even if I was miles from home, the ocean always made me feel at ease. Once I knew I had ridden out the wave I sat up on my board and looked back at my neighbors who were getting ready to ride the other waves down. I decided to paddle a little ways away to give myself a better buffer zone between them. There was a lot of unclaimed beach and a small amount of surfers. No reason I should sit in a line up next to them when I could move a little ways away, and give both groups more surf time.

Once I was a good distance from the other guys I waited for a sweet wave. Looking back toward the beach, I noticed a small group of people walking toward the hotel. They still had their surfboards in hand, so they were either guests or employees. I strained my eyes attempting to see if any of them were Broseph. After I didn't see his poufy hair, I figured he probably wasn't with them. I turned my attention back to the ocean and was happy to see a wave coming in with my name on it. I positioned myself and was ready to go again. This was going be a bigger one than before, and probably last a little longer. I started paddling and when the moment was right I popped up again. I did another cutback turn to gain speed, and then I preformed a perfect aerial reverse.

I was really feeling this wave and setting up to see if I could do one more maneuver when I caught a face full of spray, and fell into the water. When I resurfaced I quickly reach for my board and braced myself for the next wave as it came crashing down. It hurt a lot more than I had expected. I guess I still wasn't used to these waves yet. When I had finally managed to get out of the break zone I searched for the culprit. I finally spotted him paddling back out to rejoin the other guys, the ones who I had tried so hard to avoid.

"He dropped in on me," I whispered to myself, almost in disbelief. I looked around in a vain attempt to judge if maybe I was at fault for not swimming far enough away. But alas it was true. He had broken the one true rule of the world. Never drop in on someone else's wave. I smacked the water with my fist in anger. "Fantastic," I said gritting my teeth in annoyance. I already missed a great day of surfing and now my session was being interrupted by some… some... KOOKS! I considered paddling back out, but Auntie would make me into her famous jambalaya if I got into a fistfight on my first day. So I reluctantly decided I would just find a new spot further away. Being loud and obnoxious was one thing, but did they have to drop in too?

After I had grabbed my board and walked out of the water, I started up the beach to find my bag. I struggled in a sorry attempt not glimpse out at the kooks that had stolen my wave. I didn't want to give them any more of my time than what they had already taken. I knelt down on the warm sand to collect my few scattered belongings. I had just finished shoving my shorts into the bag when a smooth voice caught my attention.

"Those were some great moves out there," the masculine voice said with enthusiasm. I looked up and found myself staring at the face of a guy about my age. I gazed at him for only a moment before turning my attention back to my bag. "Thanks," I said smiling to myself as I tightened the straps, effectively closing the bag. I instantly thought back to my performance, and wondered what it must have looked like from his point of view. Unfortunately, all I could imagine was how dumb I must have looked when I fell off. I was a little glad that I had a reason for my face to be looking elsewhere, or I might have blushed in embarrassment.

"That kook dropped in on me though," I said, only allowing a trace amount of annoyance into my voice.

"Yeah, I saw that too," he said apologetically, "that was really un-cool. I hope they aren't going to be staying long," he said glancing in their direction, before turning back to me. "Are you okay by the way? It looks like you got really worked by some of those waves," he asked his eyebrows furrowing a little in sympathy.

"I'm okay, just a little peeved is all," I said standing up. I turned to face him, placing my hand comfortably on my hip. "I mean he's not the first kook I've met, and he wont be the last," I said letting my irritation out a little more. It made me feel better to vent a some frustration, but I tried my best to not seem as pissed as I truly was.

The short lull in the conversation provided time to get a better look at whom I was talking to. My eyes danced around at his features, from his light brown hair to his purple eyes. It was in that moment that I noticed what he was carrying. "What's with the camera," I asked a little more skeptically than I had intended.

"Oh, I make surf videos," he said excitingly. My face must have given away what I was thinking, because he immediately reassured me. "Relax, I'm not some creeper," He said flashing me a quick smirk as if this could clear any doubts I had.

"I was actually wondering if you might let me film you surfing," he asked promptly with a cute smile. I froze a little at his sudden question, my eyes looking away in discomfort. He must have sensed my distress because he took a small step back.

"Oh, sorry. I guess that does sound a little strange when we have just met huh," he said without showing any noticeable embarrassment. He seemed like a nice guy, but for all I knew he could be a pervert or a stalker disguised as a "good guy".

"Don't worry 'bout it. It's just… I don't really like to surf for stuff like that," I said giving him an awkward smile in the attempt to be polite. I quickly turned away and picked up my bag.

"Even if I did…" I said pausing for a moment to choose my next words wisely, "I'm not so sure if I would for a random person I met on the beach. Stranger danger ya know?"

I wondered if I was being too mean, but I thought he ought to know that he was making me feel a little uneasy. I started to walk away, only managing to take a few steps when I heard him utter in a sincere carefree voice, "Sorry. I hope to see you again sometime."

I knew what he meant, but his statement didn't exactly help his case against being a creep. Without looking back, I gave him a lazy wave goodbye and continued down the beach.

I surfed for a while in a more private spot I had found a little ways away. Even missing one day made me feel a little out of shape. While I surfed I couldn't help but over examine my conversation with the camera dude. Was I too rude? Should I have responded differently? I wonder if he thought I was a jerk. I continued to scrutinize myself all morning until early afternoon when I decided I was done for the time being. I walked along the beach until I was back in the front of the hotel at the bus stop. I heard the behemoth of a bus before I saw it. It was impossible to not notice the roaring engine as it made its way to a squeaky halt. It was definitely in need of a new muffler, or was that supposed to be whale noises? Either way, I didn't want to know. "Hey Wahine! How was the surf?" Kahuna asked as the doors opened. I climbed and flashed him a sly smile, "Pretty good. You gonna go out?" I asked.

"Of course, one more round trip to the pier then I take my surf break," he replied in a relaxed tone.

"Lucky me that I caught you then," I said while letting myself sprawl out onto one of the seats. I too wanted to enjoy a little break before I headed off to work. I had promised Auntie I would help in her surf store today, because well, I didn't have much else to do with Broseph working at the resort and all. When I had finally reached the pier I hopped off after thanking Kahuna, and started towards the Surf Shack. It was on the main strip that looked onto the beach, so it wasn't too far from where I was let off.

Unfortunately, it was a lot harder to find than I thought, mostly because it was one of many surf stores in town. Of course if anyone asked me though, the Surf Shack would be the best, hands down. When I finally found it, I wondered how I could have ever missed it in the first place. The shop had two large totem poles outside and a tree growing in the center. The inside the shop, was a decent size. The swim suit collection alone was impressive. Along the left hand wall there was a long row of surfboards, and on the other side were three dressing rooms for the swimsuits.

I placed my board in the back among the unopened storage boxes, and in the privacy of the 'employees only' room, changed into my "Surf Shack" tee-shirt. Once I was finished Auntie gave me the employee rundown. She wasn't as laid back as Broseph, but she wasn't a tyrant either. The job was pretty standard, man the cashier, help customers, and stock the shelves. My shift was only 4 hours, but even so I had a lot of down time which I happily spent skimming the surf magazines near the register, or looking through swim suits. If this was how my summer was going to be, it was going to go by at a snail's pace.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hello, this is my first Fan Fiction. I originally posted this one a couple days ago, but after re-reading it again when I wasn't dead tired, I realized there were a few things I wanted to change or write differently. I'll put notes at the bottom of some chapters to explain some of the Hawaiian terms or customs I mention thought the story. However, if there is one not mentioned that you don't understand, then just hit me up in a message.**

**Anyways, I hope you liked it. Be sure to tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Dinner time was always my favorite part of my visits to Broseph's house. Auntie was a fantastic cook, and the boys where always so entertaining. However, with Broseph away, it felt a little quieter than usual. Auntie must have sensed I was feeling a little lonely, because after dinner when we were washing up the plates, she asked if I would like to take a bowl of her jambalaya down to Broseph. Of course I jumped on the opportunity, nothing I would love better than seeing my cousin after 6 years. I mean, Grommet was fun too, but it was nice to talk to someone my own age.

Just like that, I was off headed to the hotel, this time traveling a little lighter. By the time I got there it would be sundown, so it was pointless to bring my board. I was amazed that it was still light out at this time, another mainland thing I had to get used to. After once again taking the bus, and having a deep talk with Kahuna about the etiquette of the line up, I found myself in front of the resorts bus stop.

"Just follow the path and you'll get to the Staff Housing," he told me gesturing his thumb in the opposite direction.

"Thanks, I'll see you later," I said giving him a wave as I exited the bus, Tupperware in hand.

Luckily there was just enough light to find my way through the trees. I'm not sure what I had been imagining, but it definitely wasn't the dump I found myself in front of. It was situated next to some cute homes that, although were a little weathered, didn't look nearly as decrepit. I'm not sure why I was so surprised, nothing here was what I had expected. I walked to what looked like the front and noticed a few guys on the porch. I hoped I was in the right place because I didn't think I would be able to find my way if I was lost.

"Hey, is this the staff housing for the Surfers Paradise Resort?" I asked walking up to the guys lounging on the couch.

"Yea, this is it, who wants to know?" a guy answered with blue hair and a thick Australian accent.

"Cool," I replied disregarding his question. The guys reminded me of some of the guys I knew back home, definitely surfers. They just had that feel about them. "I'm looking for Broseph, is he here?"

"Yeah. Gimme a sec," the other guy replied, before turning slightly on the couch, "BROSEPH! SOME CHICK IS LOOKING FOR YOU!"

He must not have been too far away, based on how quickly he appeared in the doorway. "You call me dude?" he asked walking in from what I assumed was the common room.

"Hey Cuz, you miss me?" I asked giving him a wryly look.

"Nani!" he said excitingly. He was the only one that still really used that nickname. Most people stopped when I had gotten to middle school. I suppose it just shows how long it had been since I had seen him. I walked over to him and gave him a hug, accompanied by a quick kiss on the cheek. He did the same. Apparently it wasn't the social norm here, based on the shocked reaction of the two dudes on the couch.

"How long you been here?" Broseph asked, a smile on his face.

"Got in two days ago. You would know that if you called Auntie more often," I said half jokingly. He only shrugged with a goofy smile.

"What brings you down to the Staff House?" he asked

"Auntie said you wanted some Jambalaya," I replied passing him the Tupperware.

"Sweeeet. Thanks Nani" he said lifting the lid to smell the savory contains.

"Hey bro, who is this?" asked a voice from the balcony above. I had to step back to see who it was. A guy with red hair quickly came jaunting down the stairs, hopping over the hole on the third step. "Since when did you know so many honeys?" he continued while attempting to give Broseph a high five.

"Duuude, she's my cousin," Broseph said his brow furrowing accompanied by an unpleasant facial expression. I too gave a little face at the misstatement.

"Huh?", the red head said before looking at me surprised, "but you don't look anything alike."This guy seemed like a total idiot.

"He means calabash cousins," I jumped in hoping to clarify. However the confused stares from everyone, sans Broseph, showed they didn't get it at all. "We are good family friends. We go way back," I said realizing Hawaiian terms would be of no use of here either.

The guys let out a long "Ohhhhh" as if it made sense now, or at least I hope it did.

"I'm Ripper, and this is No Pants Lance," Ripper stated from the couch.

"And I'm Reef," the red head stated trying to be suave. "I'm kind of the resident surf expert. So if you need some lessons, I would be happy to donate my time."

I just rolled my eyes. I would've liked to knock him down a peg, but knowing me, I would have messed up the comeback. Luckily, a blonde stepped in, and handled him for me. She grabbed his ear and pulled him back a few steps.

"Would you stop drooling over Broseph's cousin right in front of him. You are even making ME feel uncomfortable," the girl said scolding Reef. They seemed like they were pretty familiar. Maybe old friends? I then realized that a small herd of unfamiliar faces had begun to gather on the porch. Most likely curious about all the noise we were making.

"I'm Fin," the blond introduced herself as, she then turned to introduce her friends. "This is Lo and John-" she began when she was cut off by the latter.

"Hey Broseph! That isn't the jambalaya you promised me, is it?" He asked with irritation in his voice as he walked over to the couch. Broseph was sitting on the far end, and had begun digging in during the short moments I was looking away.

"Oh, right. Sorry dude. I forgot," he said apologetically. "I only took a few bites though," he said trying to make the guy feel better. He took the bowl from Broseph and gave him a pointed look.

"I'm Johnny", he said walking over to me. Just then another girl came out of the common room and joined the little party we were having on the porch. "Oh hey Emma. How are you?" Johnny asked worriedly, and for good reason. She looked a little down. Maybe she had been dumped or something. Then I noticed out of the corner of my eye an upset expression on Fin, Reef, and Broseph's faces. Perhaps I was missing something?

"A little hungry. Wasn't dinner just horrible!" she said putting on a smile and trying to stir a conversation. Although the rest of the group seemed like they were more upset by her than the dinner.

"Uhhh…. Have you met Broseph's cousin?" Johnny asked, trying desperately to shift the conversation away from Emma. Leaving me again as the center of attention.

"No I haven't. Hi, its nice to meet you. I'm Emma" she said happier than before.

"Nice to meet ya too," I said trying to match the names to the faces. "I'm Kanani. I'm visiting for the summer," I started.

"That's an cool name," Fin stated, "where are you from?"

"North Shore, Oahu, in Hawaii," I declared. Based on the excitement in their faces, they definitely approved.

"Sweeeet," Reef said, "so you surf then?"

"Of course! But unlike popular belief, not everyone in Hawaii surfs. I just happen to fit the stereotype," I said chuckling a bit. I really did love surfing, It was just a part of my life there. Hopefully, it would become a part of my life here too.

"So I guess you should be the one giving him the lessons," Fin said jokingly to Reef. They then went off arguing about something. Based on the rest of the groups reaction, their bickering wasn't an usual occurrence. I started to tune them out after a little bit, but I was beginning to think maybe they were more than just good friends. Too early for me to tell though.

"I would love to be on a beach in Hawaii right now," Lo sighed, crossing her arms and looking around in disgust at her surroundings.

"It is a beautiful place, but a change in scenery is always nice. So do you all work here?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Unfortunately," Lo said in reply, "but it wont be long until daddy lets me come home."

"Daddy?" I asked a little confused.

"Yeah, I had a little get together and Daddy just overreacted a bit," she stated as if she was being punished for something outrageous, like putting forks in the knife drawer. The rest of the group only rolled their eyes. Apparently there was more to the story than her brief explanation.

"Her dad owns the hotel," Johnny said filling me in.

"And by 'little get together' she means a party that wreaked the Resort, and left us cleaning up the mess," Fin continued.

"You clean up the Hotel everyday. What's the big deal?" Reef asked, while evading a punch from Fin.

"Oh man. I wish I could have been there. It sounds like it would have been a great party!" I exclaimed.

"I thought you were gonna come in a week ago," Broseph asked as he laid back on the couch. "Weren't you supposed to work at the resort too?"

"Supposed to, but my work visa came in late, so all the places in town had already hired their summer staff. I'm lucky your mom even gave me a job," I said a little saddened.

"Oh I'm sure something will come up," Emma said trying to reassure me.

"Plus you never know, Bummer might always fire someone," Fin said, and at that moment, everyone looked over to Reef.

"What?" he asked unaware that the comment was pointed at him. Yep, definitely an idiot. Even so, I couldn't help but laugh a little. At least he was entertaining. I could definitely get used to hanging with these guys.

* * *

**AN:**

**Calabash Cousin: someone who is "like family"**

**Hug and a kiss on the cheek: In Hawaii, its not uncommon to greet a very close friend/family memeber with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Although the wikia says Broseph is from the Caribbean, his accent and personality seems to fit the Hawaiian style much more. In addition, if they are as close as I am making them, then there is no reason he wouldn't have greeted Kanani in this way.**

**I know Ty isn't in this chapter but he will be in the next one so don't worry. How did I do keeping everyone IC? Lemme know. Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning I was out earlier than before. The sky was a faint purple, and the sun was barely starting to rise over the horizon. Once I had got down to the beach, I was delighted to discover that the kooks from yesterday were nowhere to be found.

"I guess they decided to bother someone else," I thought to myself relieved as I dropped my things on the beach. I did my usual routine of waxing my board before I bounded out to the water, a bright smile on my face as my brown toes touched the white foam. The surf looked great today, and the solitude was even better. I couldn't help but loose myself in the scenery. The sights, the smells, the experience, everything seemed so much more fresh this particular morning. This was going to be a good day, I could feel it.

It was around 7am when I went back to the beach for a break. The Groms would be walking by soon, andI wanted to seem friendly. Maybe even cement some friendships before the summer was over. I laid back and watched the pink clouds become lighter and lighter as the sun rose. It wasn't long before I noticed someone walking by. However, when I looked up from the sand I realized it was the creep from yesterday.

To tell the truth, I had pretty much forgotten about him. Our conversation yesterday was quick and unmemorable. If it wasn't for him caring his camera, I might have completely forgot. I quickly remembered how rude I had been to him yesterday. I mean it wasn't like I called him a weirdo to his face and cussed him out for asking to film me, but I did feel bad for acting so unfriendly. Maybe I was being too hard on myself, but I didn't care, I still felt bad. I badly wanted to melt into the sand like a hermit crab, and hide my face in well deserved shame. If I could, I would have done the entire conversation differently, nicer, and it wouldn't be so bad to try a redo. Well, not a redo, but prevent further grief. In that moment, I felt a strange sensation in my gut that told me, if I didn't say something, apologize to him at least, that I would regret it.

I sat up and brushed away some of the pale sand that stuck to my body. He was still walking by, and I allowed myself a deep breath to collect my thoughts. When I finally stood up, I turned to him and in a nonchalant but still friendly tone, I managed to say, "Hi Camera Dude". I mean I didn't want to seem too eager.

"Hey.." he said in a monotone voice as he passed by slowly, barely looking up from his camera. Not the reaction I was hoping for.

"Um…" I began, catching up with him until he stopped. "..I'm really sorry about how rude I was yesterday. I was just kinda annoyed at the kooks." I paused trying to find a feature on his face to fixate on. "I didn't mean to take out any of it on you," I said finally looking down, a little uncomfortable. Not at him mind you, but at the awkward situation. That's the problem with getting out of your comfort zone, its not comfortable.

"Uhh.." he said, a little surprised. " Um… thanks, but I'm not mad or anything. I actually didn't think you were really that rude."

"Oh.." I said crossing my arms over my chest. "Ok, that's great." Well shit. I was fretting for nothing. Stupid gut, I should have just listened to my head and started burying myself in the sand. I then realized I was still blocking his path. I would have moved out of the way, but my legs seemed to be on my gut's side and refused to listen to logic. Then my mouth switched sides as well, the traitor. To my dismay, I broke the comfortable awkward silence and began to speak.

"So… what's wrong with you then? You seem kinda upset compared to before. I mean you were all smiles and stuff yesterday," I uttered softly, realizing I may be being rude again. "Sorry,"I added quickly before he could respond, "its none of my business. Just forget it. " My legs were back in my control, and the churning of my gut had finally subsided. So naturally I turned to go back to my grave on the beach. However I was stopped when he decided to answer my prying question.

"Don't worry. Its fine," he stated not at all offended. Thank goodness he was so down to earth, either that or just oblivious. "I was just filming some friends when the Kooks from yesterday got water on my camera. I'm really hoping it's not too badly damaged," he said a mixture of irritation and gloom in his voice.

"Is that all?" I asked a little smirk forming on my face. My shoulders relaxed in relief. So he wasn't mad earlier, well, not at me at least. "Can I see it?" I asked pointing to the camera.

"Uh…sure," he answered hesitantly, before gently handing the camera to me. "I'm going to take it to a repair shop in town. I hope the footage I took can at least be salvaged."

"You haven't turned it on, right?" I asked examining the camera thoroughly. It was a really nice model, probably worth a pretty penny. He really should have been more careful, even if it was someone else's fault.

"No, I heard you shouldn't if it gets wet."

"Yeah, that makes it worse. Plus the salt water will corrode it. It doesn't look like it was too bad of a splash. Take out the memory card, and battery and put everything into a bag of rice for at least 2 days. And DON'T turn it on until you look inside the camera to see if there is any salt," I advised, handing it back to him.

"Wow, you really know your stuff. Do you make videos too?" he asked curiously.

"No, some of my friends do though. So I have fixed their cameras a few times before," I said casually. Besides, he should know all this stuff if he has a camera.

"Oh cool, thanks…." he paused smiling, waiting for me to fill in a name.

"Kanani," I said, returning his smile with one of my own. "And do you have a name? Or should I just keep calling you Camera Dude?"

He laughed lightly before answering, "It's Ty."

"Well Ty, good luck with your video camera,"I said giving him another grin as I walked past him, "I guess I'll see ya around".

"Yea, nice to meet you," he said, more cheerful this time, before going on his way as well.

"Nice guy," I thought to myself as a picked up my board and prepared to head out. "I wonder if I will see him again?"

After a few hours, when I was waiting for a set to come in, I noticed the strangest thing happening on the beach. Lance and Ripper, the two guys from last night, were picking up seaweed on the beach. I knew they worked at the hotel, but I wasn't really sure what their jobs were. Did they need to have beach cleaners? If so wouldn't that be a better job to do at night when there were less people out and about?

I paddled back to the shore to see what was up. After Ty went by, I never saw the other Groms, so they must have gone a different way through the forest. I was still itching to make some connections, and decided that they might be a good place to start.

"Hey, dudes!" I said cheerfully, laying my board down. It was tiny, but it could still get heavy after a while. "I didn't know your job at the Resort was 'Seaweed' collector," I said jokingly.

"Oh hey, Nani," Ripper said, most likely picking up my nickname from Broseph. "We're lifeguards, but I suppose you could say we are doing a much needed duty." No Pants chuckled at Rippers statement, and surprisingly so did I. However, it was more because of No Pants' goofy laugh; It was quite contagious.

"That's really nice of you," I said after sobering up from my little laugh. "Wow there sure is a lot of it in there," I said looking at his bucketful.

"Yeah you could say we are men of justice," Lance said while sharing a suspicious look with Ripper.

"Right.." I said now wondering if their intentions were really as pure as they say.

"Hey Nani! You are bleeding!" he said pointing at my wrist.

"Oh this," I said turning it over, "It's no big deal. There was this hug herd of squid swimming in the water. One of them pecked me with their beak by accident."

"Really!? Where?!" Lance asked.

"Uh…" I said a little taken aback by his enthusiasm. "They were near the coast over there," I said pointing in the general direction.

"Thanks Nani! We'll catch up with you later!" Ripper said as they grabbed the buckets and ran off.

"Okay? Bye guys," I shouted to them. I had no idea they were so interested in marine life. I hope they are careful, there must have been hundreds of them. I packed up my things and started for the bus stop. It was already afternoon, and my shift would be starting at 1pm.

* * *

**AN:**

**_Opal Squid_**** around British Columbia, go to shallow bays and shores to lay their eggs between February and August. Squids have a maximum age of 2-3 years and die soon after spawning. So, don't be too hard on Ripper and Lance using the squid, I imagine they used the ones that were already dead. Sorry little squids!**

**This is the reference I used for the Squid Facts:**

**( . /_ylt=A0SO8yfOdaRTtzQA8xpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzam9najVhBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDA3N18x/RV=2/RE=1403315791/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f% . %2fspecies% /RK=0/RS= 356Qr5NDoE-)**

**Thanks for reading, tell me what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4

Auntie had given me the afternoon off that day, so I happily spent it surfing. I was getting the feeling that I was being more of a burden to her than help. I was a decent employee, but I wasn't the number one sales person either. There were already enough employees before I started working there. I felt pretty bad taking hours from the other workers, so Auntie tried to give me hours to fill in schedule gaps. Then last night Auntie informed me that Broseph was keeping an eye out for job openings at the Resort. It was obvious that she knew how much I had wanted to work with him this summer, and was trying to keep my spirits up. Based on the stories she had been telling me recently about Broseph, I also got the sense that she wanted me there to keep an eye on him. There was a rumor going around that he had driven a Jeep into the swimming pool at the Resort, and whether she believed Grommet or not, she didn't seem too happy about it. I would have truly loved working at there, but I seriously doubted anything would become available. Auntie just gave me a knowing look and said to "keep my chin up".

This particular afternoon, I was sitting on the sand people watching. I had gotten enough recluse for the time being and wanted a little human interaction. Reef had been teaching an older gentleman how to surf, and it was pretty entertaining to watch. Reef would get so excited, and it was interesting to observe how the old man improved throughout the afternoon. It reminded me of when I first started surfing. My fingers played in the sand while my mind drifted through memories. Back then I had my little pink board, the one that matched my rashguard. I smiled, remembering just how cool and grown up I felt caring my board all by myself down to the shore. Those were the days when I was always improving, always looking for the next challenge.

"Come on in! We gotta call it a day," Reef shouted at the old man from the beach, unintentionally interrupting my train of thought.

"Awww come on, just one more wave?!" he shouted back, in the same way a child would beg for candy. Unfortunately, in that moment he lost his balance and fell off his board. It looked like a pretty big wave for someone his size, and my eyes immediately began scanning the waters. When he hadn't resurfaced after a few seconds, I jolted up and immediately began running to the water.

Once I was in deep enough, I dove in and began doing swimming to where the man had fell. Reef was still on the beach, and I don't think he had realized yet how dangerous a wave like that could be to someone inexperienced. I dove down, and luckily saw him floating a little below the surface. I grabbed a hold of him and took him up, making sure to keep his head above the water as I swam him to shore. Reef had caught on pretty quick, and started making his way into the water as well.

"Old dude wake up!" Reef shouted at him as we laid him on the shore, ready to begin emergency procedures.

"Reef, do CPR!" I said after checking to see if he was breathing.

Reef began giving him ventilation. "Eww, ewww..so nast. Sooo soo nast," he said repulsed.

I checked his pulse, "Reef keep going!" I said after a few seconds. He gave him more ventilation, when luckily he coughed up the water.

"Old dude you're alive!" Reef said thankful. I signed in relief, helping the old man sit up a bit. He was really lucky we were both here, and even more so that he didn't have any other injuries.

"Okay," Reef said suddenly eyeing both of us, "if anyone asks that never happened!" I gave him a mischievous smile. I was never going to let him live this one down.

"Reef! Kanani! Is he okay!?" Johnnyasked running up to us, a first aid kit in hand. The old man only laughed.

"I'm GREAT!" he exclaimed. Reef and I just looked at each other, confused as to what was going through the man's head.

"I finally lived out my dream," he continued. "How can I ever repay you CreamPuff?"

"I may have a way," Johnny said cutting in. "How would you like to check out a real surfers beach?"

"I'm in! Let's get back out there!" the old man said getting up from the sand.

"But first," Johnny continued, looking from the old man to me, "We need to help out the girl that saved you."

"Well of course, I cant leave a debt unpaid. And here I was thinking it was Creampuff over with the soft hands," he said jokingly to me. I giggled at the old man's statement. I guess when it came to making fun of Reef, everyone was in on it.

"Thank you," I said between laughs, "but I'm not…"

"…used of accepting praise. Yes we know Kanani. But I know heroics like yours don't come along everyday," Johnny said winking at me to play along, "Right Mr. Grizzle?"

* * *

Next thing I knew we were walking down the beach toward the Resort. Mr. Grizzle was lecturing me about his war days, while Johnny was whispering something to an excited Reef. They both gave me a thumbs up, as if to say that they got my back. I was beginning to wonder just what they were scheming, when we entered the lobby of the Resort.

It was a lot… cheesier than I had imagined. The Groms had filled me in about the Resort, and until now I had thought that they had been exaggerating. They were not. It was so tacky it made the Kahuna's whale bus look like a first class ride. My eyes wondered around the room, trying to avoid the whale mascot's disturbing stare. We were headed across the lobby where the daytime manager had been waiting for us. I was pretty sure Fin had called him Bummer, although I highly doubted that was his real name.

When we finally reached the counter, Bummer immediately started doing damage control. Judging by the look he was giving to Reef, it was pretty obvious he knew what had just transpired on the beach. "Mr. Grizzle! I'm so sorry about what happened, I hope you are alright," he said in a sympathetic tone, "And as for Reef's incompetence, believe me, he will be receiving quite a..."

WHACK!

Before Bummer could finish his sentence he was swiftly hit in the knee by the old man's cane.

"Don't you go patronizing the boy! He is the best surf instructor out there!" Mr. Grizzle said, ignoring Bummers suck-up speech, "Even if he is a little slobbery."

"Hey?!" Reef protested. "My CPR skills are perfect! And my kissing isn't too bad either," he stated winking at two girls walking by.

"Shut it Creampuff I'm making a point," the old man continued, ignoring Reef's bravado. "You should show the people who saved me some respect! Not like you, just running things behind the scenes! In my day the people that earned admiration where the ones that went out and saved lives. These two are real heroes!" he exclaimed as he poked Bummer in the chest with his cane. The manager looked completely flustered at this point. I don't think he particularly liked being lectured by the old man…or being hit by him either. He tried his best to smile it off, but I saw him shooting daggers at Reef, and at me.

"Of course Mr. Grizzle," Bummer said attempting to save what little pride he had left. "What I meant to say is that, our employees here will be sure to receive recognition for their heroic efforts."

"You're darn right! With these two out there it's the safest beach I've ever been to!" the old man exclaimed a little louder. I shifted uncomfortable and noticed that a few people were watching the spectacle. I glanced over to Johnny and noticed he was pleased with the old man's speech. Whatever his plan was, I hoped it got to the point soon.

"Mr. Grizzle just wanted to extend his gratitude to the Resort in person before filling out his employee survey. Would you like me to get you another form for our Surfer's Paradise Lifeguard?" Johnny asked, stressing the latter part.

"Right away! And get me a good pen this time!" Mr. Grizzle shouted walking over to the counter.

"Why thank you Mr. Grizzle for such kind words," Bummer said stepping out of his way, "Please let Johnny take care of any of your needs while I extend my personal gratitude to our employees."

Reef nudged my arm inconspicuously while Bummer was ushering us aside. "I got this," he whispered confidently. It was actually a little reassuring, but I still wish I knew what he was talking about. The calm only lasted a moment though, because now, away from the eye of the customers, Bummer let us have it.

"Reef you aren't getting off so easy," he said letting his irritation out. Then he quickly turned to me, "And who are you? You aren't one of the lifeguards!"

"This is Kanani" Reef jumped in before I even had a second to speak. I decided to just let him go. We were already this far, may as well see it to the end. "She is the one that swam out to Mr. Grizzle and brought him a shore before I heroically preformed CPR," Reef stated proudly, trying not to completely throw himself under the bus.

"Well you should have been doing a better job to ensure this never happened," he said pointedly at Reef before addressing me. "Kanani, thank you very much for your help. Your room will be 15% off to show our appreciation for such a heroic deed."

"It's not really that big of a deal. I was just passing by," I said content that I could finally get in on the conversation. "I'm actually not a guest here," I continued a little reluctantly. I glanced at Reef who hadn't made any objections, so I figured it was okay.

"Oh…Well then, help yourself to lunch complements of the hotel," he said less kind than before.

"Hey Baumer," Reef said as if on queue, "You know Kanani is staying here for the summer. So she will be out on the beach a lot." Bummer gave him a distasteful stare, as if telling him to make his point, and make it quickly. "There were a lot of customers around to hear that speech. Don't you think it might look bad for the hotel if they find out that you lied about her being an employee?" Reef asked, his arms crossed triumphantly.

Bummers face went from indifference, annoyance, then to shock all in a matter of seconds. He must have understood immediately the situation he was in, because he quickly asked, "Do you have Lifeguard training?"

"Uh yeah…" I said a little taken aback by his sudden questioning, "But I'm from Hawaii, so I'm not sure if it's the same here." I thought I should probably clarify everything right off the bat.

"Do you have a work visa?" Bummer asked. I started to understand why they called him Bummer. He was becoming increasingly annoyed the longer we were in his presence, and he wasn't hiding it either.

"Well ya… but I was kinda going to help out at a relatives for the summer..." I said trailing off.

"Work here and I'll give you 20 gift certificates to the dining hall, and an all day spa pass," Bummer bargained as if I was a pig at auction.

I allowed myself a short moment to think. Auntie might be a little upset if I ditch her, but then again she would be really pissed if I passed up such a great opportunity. After all it was she who wanted me to keep my spirits high, and now I had the universe practically throwing a great job at me. A smile spread across my face, "I'll take it!," I said boldly.

"Alright! A new Grom!" Reef cheered from my side.

"Training starts tomorrow at 7:30 am sharp!" Bummer said sternly, "And don't expect any special treatment!"

"Of course not," I replied, unable to hide my excitement.

"Great… Now, get out of here! And if I see you on the beach I'm going to have security remove you by force!" Bummer added unsympathetically.

"Um, What?" I asked completely lost. Reef and I shared a confused look.

"What's the deal?" Reef asked, "you just said you would hire her?"

"Yeah. She starts tomorrow. As in she has no training today! As in I'm not going to have someone represent the Resort with no training. So come back tomorrow," Bummer said as he walked back to the desk.

"That's completely unfair!" Reef started.

I put a hand on Reef's shoulder to stop him, "Nah its cool. Don't worry 'bout it," I said trying to calm him. I figured he had already put himself out enough getting me a job. "I need to go home and talk to Auntie now anyways. Besides, didn't Johnny say something about a surf tour?" I reminded him raising one of my eyebrows slightly.

"Oh right, I'll catch you later!" He shouted running to the exit with Johnny and the old man.

"It's cool if I go out and get my board right? I asked Bummer who was now busy checking in a guest.

"Fine, whatever. Just be quick about it. Now scat!" He said shooing me to the door.

"Thanks Bumm… err...Baumer," I said quickly correcting myself as I walked out of the hotel. I strutted down the beach to my bag and board, my mind focused on the upcoming employment. I was fixing my bag to my back when I saw the boys speeding across the ocean. They were all scrunched on a little orange boat, but they seemed to be having the time of their lives. They really looked like they were riding with purpose. Probably on their way to do another good deed. Those guys were really cool. I would definitely have to thank them for getting me a job, even if it was borderline blackmail.

"I guess something did turn up," I thought to myself, letting another smile slip as I continued home to tell Auntie and Grommet the good news.

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**AN:**

**Hope this one is okay, I was a little nervous about writing for the other characters and I hope I did okay keeping them IC.**

**Thanks for reading, tell me what you think! **


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